My husband and I arrived in Mexico on December 28 on a full Air Canada flight (a bit disconcerting). For the past 10 years, a gated community, about 40 minutes from the Puerto Vallarta Airport, has been our winter home. Our place is about five minutes from two small, charming towns, La Cruz and Bucerias, in Riviera Nayarit (the state just north of Puerto Vallarta which is in the State of Jalisco).

Prime Minister Trudeau’s latest “curve ball” about banning all flights between Mexico and Canada until April 30 (and maybe longer) has created several issues for we Canadian/Mexican snowbirds.

However, I am pleased to report that the State of Nayarit has issued strict COVID-19 protocols and our experiences have shown that the various shops, restaurants, golf courses, hotels and resorts we have visited, are following them. We feel safe here and are so glad we came. Unlike our friends back in Canada, we have been able to spend most of our time in the fresh air and we have had the ability to participate in many activities: tennis, golf, pickleball, aqua and Pilates classes, cooking and art classes.

We monitor the people with whom we socialize and the places we visit to those we trust.

Our Air Canada flight on April 1 was cancelled and re-scheduled for May 1, but, due to various prior commitments, we have decided to book a flight on United Airlines on April 1 that flies from Puerto Vallarta via a stop in Chicago to Toronto. As I write this, the Canadian government requires that we supply a COVID-19 PCR negative test taken up to 72 hours before we board our flight. We have found several places with varying prices and expected result times where we can receive this test. At this time, the cost is about $275 CDN. The other rule that we must quarantine for up to three days in an approved airport hotel and show proof of booking and payment before we board our plane, is “up in the air” as the only approved phone line is jammed and people are unable to book rooms.

The Riviera Nayarit CVB is working diligently to reactivate its tourism industry as quickly and as safely as possible. Earlier this month, it released a Tourism Wellness and Best Practices Guide for all tourism partners in the destination, which outlines the elevated standards for sanitation and safety protocols delineated by established international health organizations and the world’s leading nations to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission. You can review this extensive guide:
https://www.rivieranayarit.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Cleanliness_Best_Practice-ok.pdf

Of course, during this unprecedented worldwide pandemic, every person needs to decide what is right and comfortable and we need to respect others’ choices and decisions. The purpose of this first in a series of “postcards from Mexico” is to tell it like I see it from my place in the sun.

In future “Postcards” I hope to regale you with some happy and healthy experiences. Be safe and kind to each other.